The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for containerizing and de-containerizing loads, particularly automotive vehicles, wherein the loads are disposed on racks for disposition in and transport with the container. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for lifting loads disposed on a load-bearing rack for movement into and out of containers, as well as to the rack and container combination.
In the overseas, as well as overland, long-distance transportation of products, it has been desirable for many years to transport goods in transport containers. Transport containers conventionally are in 20-feet and 40-feet sizes and a wide variety of goods can be transported by such containers. However, one class of goods, i.e., automotive vehicles, have yet to be efficiently and effectively containerized for transport. Most overseas transport of automotive vehicles requires the vehicles to be driven onto and off the ship. While on board, the vehicles are normally tied down for the duration of the trip but are otherwise frequently exposed to the surrounding environment. Where open racks are used, for example, in overland transportation, the vehicles are driven onto and off of the racks. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the vehicles, in both cases, are individually moved a substantial number of times between the start and end of the trip and throughout the trip are exposed to the surrounding environment. The potential for damage to the goods, e.g., dents, glass and plastic breakage, etc. is enormous and, unfortunately, often realized. Also, the exposure to environmental conditions, for example, salt, in the overseas transport of vehicles, can be ruinous to the vehicle finish and other parts. Vehicles are often coated with various substances to avoid this type of deterioration of the finish and destruction of other parts. This involves, however, expenditure of substantial time, labor and materials, thereby incurring still additional expense.
According to the present invention, apparatus and methods are provided for containerizing and de-containerizing a load, for example, automotive vehicles, whereby the individual goods comprising the load may be transported within the container fully protected from the surrounding environment and without the need for any movement of individual loads or vehicles from start to finish of the trip. Further, the present invention provides apparatus and methods for loading and unloading the load relative to the container in such manner that the load may be readily and easily containerized and de-containerized. Additionally, because of the nature of the apparatus for loading and unloading, as well as the rack for supporting and confining the goods within the container, substantial savings in overall space, including head space, are realized.
To accomplish the foregoing and in accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a rack for supporting the load in the container and on which rack the load may be transported to and from the container. While the rack hereof is described particularly with respect to the transport of automotive vehicles, it will be appreciated that loads other than vehicles may be carried by the rack. The rack comprises an open framework formed generally of a series of horizontal and vertical tubular members having along its lower side a pair of ramps which extend the full length of the rack, for example, a length in excess of the length necessary to hold two vehicles in end-to-end or tandem relation. Pairs of ramps are superposed over the lower ramps for holding an additional one or two vehicles, the ramps are connected to the structural support for the rack through slip joints whereby the ramps may be adjusted in elevation and location along the longitudinal extent of the rack. In accordance with the present invention, the ramps have wheel wells which project below the elevation of the ramps for receiving the wheels of the vehicles. The lower ramps per se are spaced above the underlying load-bearing surface to enable disposition of a lift apparatus between the surface and the rack, although the wheel wells of the lower ramps may extend substantially to the lowermost portions of the rack. The wheel wells are also provided on the elevated pairs of ramps. Thus, it will be appreciated that vehicles, with the use of auxiliary ramps, may be driven into position on the rack with the wheels of the vehicles situated in the wheel wells of the ramps. Once in position on the rack, the vehicles may be tied down in a conventional manner.
The apparatus for loading and unloading the loaded rack relative to the container includes a pair of side-by-side elongated elements having along their undersurfaces a plurality of air bearings. Upon inflation, the air bearings enable the lift to ride on the air bearings and, hence, be displaced. On each of the elements there is provided an inflatable bladder for lifting the load. Consequently, when the elements are disposed beneath the load, the bladder may be inflated to lift the load and the load may therefore be transported by the lift.
In a preferred form hereof, the elements are connected one to the other for movement toward and away from one another. Additionally, cutouts are formed along the outer edges of each of the elements. When, for example, the lift is disposed below the rack, the elements are closely spaced one to the other and inserted into a central longitudinal portion of the rack. A mechanism is provided to displace the elements laterally away from one another with the wheel wells registering with the cutouts. In this manner, the overall height of the rack may be reduced without sacrificing the ability to lift the rack with its load. Once the elements are disposed below the ramp portions of the rack, the bladders may be inflated and the rack lifted. It will be appreciated that once the rack is lifted, it may be disposed in the container by movement of the lift, together with the rack and its load on the air bearings or the rack and its load may be removed from the container.
With the foregoing described apparatus and methods, the load may be disposed on the rack and the rack disposed in a container which may then be sealed. The container may be loaded onto the ship or train or truck, as applicable, and transported to its destination. At the destination, the lift may be used to remove the rack from the container. It will be appreciated that in all such transport of the load, the individual items constituting the load are not moved from the rack or relative to one another, thereby avoiding the potential for damage to the loads.
Accordingly, and in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an assembly for lifting a load comprised of first and second elongated support elements in side-by-side relation one to the other. Air bearing means are disposed along the underside of each of the elements and include connections for receiving air under pressure whereby the elements are displaceable for movement under a load. An inflatable member is carried by each of the elements and has connections for receiving air under pressure whereby, upon inflation, the load may be lifted. Means are provided to interconnect the elements one to the other for movement toward and away from one another, together with means for moving the elements toward and away from one another. In a preferred embodiment, at least two pairs of pivoted links interconnect the elements one to the other at longitudinally spaced positions along the length of the lift and the links are connected one to the other and moveable to displace the links between extended positions for moving the elements into a first position spaced one from the other for lifting the load and collapsed positions for moving the elements into a second non-load lifting position. Preferably, the elements have cutouts at longitudinally spaced positions therealong for receiving the wheel wells formed on the rack when the elements are displaced away from one another into load-bearing position under the ramps.
In a further preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for containerizing a load including the steps of disposing the load on a rack, moving a transportable lift into position below the rack, inflating the inflatable bladder carried by the lift for lifting the rack and the load carried thereby, inflating a plurality of elements carried by the lift and forming an air bearing for the lift, moving the lift, rack and load carried thereby on the air bearings into a container, deflating the bladder for placing the rack and the load carried thereby on the container and removing the lift from beneath the rack and from the container.
The present invention also encompasses a method for de-containerizing a load disposed on the rack within the container onto a load-bearing surface. Such method comprises the steps of moving a transportable lift into the container into a position below the rack, inflating an inflatable bladder carried by the lift into engagement with the rack and elevating the rack and the load carried thereby relative to the container, inflating a plurality of elements carried by the lift and thereby forming an air bearing for the lift, moving the lift, rack and load carried thereby on the air bearings from the container and onto the load-bearing surface, deflating the bladder for placing the rack and the load carried thereby on the load-bearing surface and withdrawing the lift from beneath the rack and load.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of containerizing and de-containerizing, the load comprises automotive vehicles and the rack has wells in which the wheels of the vehicles are disposed, together with cutouts provided in the members for receiving the wheels. The method is further characterized by the steps of moving the members in a lateral direction away from one another to locate them in position for lifting the rack and the load carried thereby, with the wheels received into the cutouts in the members, inflating the bladder on each member for lifting the rack and the load carried thereby, deflating the bladders for placing the rack and the load carried thereby in the container when containerizing and onto the load-bearing surface when de-containerizing and moving the members toward one another to facilitate withdrawal of the lift from beneath the rack and the load.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel and improved apparatus and methods for containerizing and de-containerizing a load, specifically automotive vehicles, as well as apparatus and methods for facilitating lifting of the rack and load carried thereby into and out of the container.